French writer Stendhal (1783-1842), in his Lettre sur Mozart (1814),
said of Le nozze di Figaro: “Mozart’s opera is a sublime
mixture of wit and melancholy, which has no equal.”. Stendhal’s
words exactly echo my thoughts.

Le nozze di Figaro is my favourite opera and, to my mind, the nearest
to perfection that one will ever be. We know that the idea of turning Beaumarchais’s
play into an opera came from Mozart himself; even da Ponte - not famous for
his modesty - admitted as much. We know very little about the process of composing
Figaro for Mozart’s letters of that particular period, from October
1785 to April 1786, have not survived. Therefore, it is difficult to figure
out how such a masterpiece came to see the light of day; however, in the end,
although the “how” would be interesting for us today, it is not
really important. What is important, is the sheer beauty of the music, the wit
and Mozart’s undeniable special touch when it came to the stage.

Le nozze di Figaro was first performed on 1 May 1786 at the Burgtheater
in Vienna. Sadly, it was not a resounding success. The probable reason, although
we cannot be certain, was the campaign of the anti-Mozart Italian clique, which
dominated the operatic scene in the Austrian capital. We know that they tried
hard to get the opera banned from ever being staged on grounds of its radical
political ideas. They did not achieve this but whether due to their actions
or not, in Vienna,Figaro received less than ten performances after the
premiere. However, the opera was to be extremely successful in Prague before
spreading to other parts of Europe.

It is worth keeping in mind that at the time it was written and performed, Le
nozze di Figaro was incredibly novel, almost revolutionary. By this I am
not talking about just the politics, Cherubino, for example, is an extraordinary
innovation, as he was possibly the first travesti role ever; the opera’s
overture is another. It possesses no musical quotation from the opera itself,
which was unusual, but perfectly expresses the feelings of excitement and tenderness
that are present throughout. These are just two examples but there are many
more in Figaro. This opera shows Mozart’s genius at its pinnacle.
Its magic begins immediately with the first chords of the overture and only
finishes, at the very end, with the remarkable and exceptionally beautiful finale
of Act IV.

I have seen and heard Mozart’sLe nozze di Figaro countless times.
Some productions and recordings remain deeply engraved in my mind: For example
the Metropolitan Opera production from 1998 with Fleming, Bartoli and Terfel
as respectively, the Countess, Susanna and Figaro. The there’s the 1992
recording by Sir Colin Davis with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Mirella Freni,
as Susanna, and the inimitable Jessye Norman, as the Countess, for Philips Classics.
The present blu-ray recording of the WNO’s and Opera Australia’s
production is not one of those memorable moments though it’s definitely
solid and pleasing.

The production was critically acclaimed but I find it hard to see why. There
are many good things in it. For example: It was not strictly updated for a modern
audience, with present day costumes or some conflict extracted from the news;
that’s refreshing. I find it annoying when directors or producers feel
that they must update everything or it will not engage a modern audience. Are
today’s audiences incapable of understanding and enjoying a period piece?
I think not and there are numerous examples that illustrate this.

This blu-ray Figaro is neither one thing nor the other. It is not modern
but it is also not a real period piece. It suffers from too many idiosyncrasies,
which I found distracting and unnecessary. For example: The Countess appears
in elegant 18th Century costume but wears an atrocious wig, which
is neither here nor there! Don Bartolo is also in distinctively 18th
Century costume but his exaggerated wig just makes him look ridiculous. On the
other hand, the Count appears in a clearly 19th Century hunting outfit
when he goes into his wife’s bedroom. Simultaneously, as if the director
could not decide which way he wanted to go, we have modern props turning up
here and there. For example, a large hairdryer - of the sort we find in hairdressers
today - can be seen in a corner of the Countess’s room. Why? I thought
it was annoying and definitely out of place.

Having said all that, there is much to enjoy, once one gets past all the peculiar
mannerisms and oddities! New Zealand’s baritone, Teddy Tahu Rhodes, is
superb in the title role. The part suits his voice to perfection and his singing
is flawless from beginning to end. His rather attractive, elegant stage presence
also greatly enhances the character. Rhodes plays Figaro with both sensibility
and humour, which lends the character a certain vulnerability, making him rather
endearing. His Susanna, young Australian soprano Taryn Fiebig, is a sassy, sweet
little minx - simultaneously seductive and innocent. She is in fine voice, possessing
a glowing tone and an almost childish spontaneity that makes the audience warm
to her right from the moment she first appears. There is a palpable chemistry
between herself and Rhodes; a fact that makes their opera personae very believable,
as a young couple in love, attempting to outwit their master. Count Almaviva
is performed here by Australian baritone Peter Coleman-Wright who sings the
part exceptionally well, displaying a good, solid technique and a rather rich
tone. His dramatic skills are considerable and he is very expressive, particularly
during his moments of angry jealousy or of desire both for his wife and Susanna,
as well as having good comic timing when pursuing the latter. However his Count
Almaviva does not quite work. He lacks the poise of an arrogant, powerful aristocrat
and next to the tall, slender figure of Rhodes as Figaro, looks more the valet
than the mighty master. Contrasting with Coleman-Wright as the count, Australian
soprano, Rachelle Durkin, actually looks the part. She has a naturally graceful
stage presence and is a fetching, elegant Countess. She wears the 18th
Century dresses to great effect, though the wig is a bit of a mess and does
not match her overall stylish appearance or her dignity as the neglected, suffering
wife. She sings the part well enough. Her voice is clear, her tone pure; however,
for a Mozart role there is too much vibrato and not enough legato
and delicate sentiment. Her arias suffer from it, notably the sublime Dove
sono. It lacks the subtle longing and sadness that make the piece so terribly
moving and poignantly beautiful. Australian mezzo, Sian Pendry, plays a believable
Cherubino, effectively portraying a teenager struggling with puberty. She sang
her two arias well enough but appeared slightly hesitant in Non so più
cosa son, cosa faccio. I thought that she was better in Voi che sapete
che cosa è amor though I felt that her slight embellishments did
not necessarily make the piece any more beautiful. The rest of the cast give
solid, convincing performances in the minor or supporting roles, especially
Kanen Breen as an affected, pompous Don Basilio. Warwick Fyfe is a heart-warming
Don Bartolo - in spite of the bizarre wig - and he pairs rather well with Jacqueline
Dark’s touching Marcellina. I must also mention the marvellous performance
of Clifford Plumpton as Antonio, the gardener, and the lovely Claire Lyon as
his daughter Barbarina, who sings with a very attractive crystal clear tone.

The Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra is excellent throughout. I particularly
enjoyed conductor Patrick Summers’ reading of the piece. He is sympathetic
with the singers, keeping the orchestra in check but still allowing a clear
voice to each of the individual instruments. He respects Mozart’s delicate
pace and succeeds in bringing out the drama, the wit and the emotions. The subtle
contrasts of darkness and light, melancholy and tenderness, the pensive and
the high-spirited are all effectively brought to life. The orchestra and chorus,
along with Tahu Rhodes as Figaro are the superlative elements in this blu-ray.

As I mentioned earlier, this is not a memorable production but it is likeable.
The singers perform the parts effectively and there is an obvious understanding
for the composer’s intentions. In the end, what is unforgettable, is Mozart’s
timeless, sublime music, which, no matter how often you listen to it, always
sounds fresh and has the power to move.